Kensington Computer Products Group is an American manufacturer of personal computer peripherals. The company produces peripherals including docking stations, mice and keyboards, and cable locks for laptops and other devices. Headquartered in Burlingame, California, Kensington is a division of ACCO Brands.
History
Co-founded by Philip Damiano as Kensington Microware in 1981, their first product was called the System Saver, an accessory for the Apple IIe that added a cooling fan and surge protection. In 1986, the company was acquired by ACCO Brands. Kensington's first trackball mouse was the Turbo Mouse for Macintosh released in 1986 and trackballs have since been one of the major offerings by the company. Their first laptop physical security lock was made in 1992. Since the 2000s, Kensington have also produced accessories for portable devices like the iPod, like docks and cases.Kensingtons KeyFolio Expert im Test: Universelle iPad-Schutzhülle mit Tastatur, netzwelt, retrieved 18 May 2012.
Notable products Since 1992, the company offers the popular Kensington Lock, an anti-theft system for laptops and other peripherals, together with a range of individual locking systems with various options to secure computing devices such as laptops, desktops, projectors, TFTs and external hard drives. At one point, almost all laptop computers on the market were equipped with a Kensington Lock.Ernie Smith. "What’s the Deal With That Security Slot on Your Laptop, Anyway?". 2021.
One of Kensington's best known long-time peripherals is the Expert Mouse line of symmetrical, ambidextrous, finger-operated trackball mice, produced since 1989. They are distinguished with a large 55mm ball and four large corner plates. In 2003, Kensington designed the patented Scroll Ring, a type of scroll wheel, and implemented them in Expert Mouse products.
The Orbit line of trackball mice is a more compact, everyday ambidextrous finger-operated desktop mouse that was first introduced in 1997. It features two wing buttons to mimic a traditional left and right click buttons. Orbit mice featuring the Scroll Ring were first released in 2009.
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